Brake lever



Sept. 1, 1942. H. s. JANDUS Y 2,294,667

BRAKE LEVER I Filed April 15, 1940 s Shee ts-Sheet 1 Herfierz Janqua "Sept. 1, 1942.

H. S JANDUS BRAKE LEVER Filed April 15, 1946 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 l re n Er" fierler/ ficfana/zm @m p 1 2- H. s. JANDUS 2,294,667

BRAKE LEVER Filed April 15, 1940 v 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 1171 45 17 Z UF H 612562! Jana u;

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Patented Sept. 1, 1942 BRAKE LEVER Herbert S. Jandus, Detroit, Mich, assignor to Houdaille-Hershey' Corporation, Detroit, Mich, a corporation of Michigan Application April 15, 194:0,Scrial No. 329,616

16 Claims. (Cl. 745l6) The present-invention relates to. anovel brake lever, construction of the dash" type; and more particularly toa jointedibrake lever construction,

having variable ratios; which automatically change from a'. lowratiotoamucht higher ratio when the operative, force necessary to.-move' the.

lever construction is effected which initially-provides a low reduction in the operating leverage ratio until thefbrake' shoes engage the brake drums and thereafter automatically changes to v a much higher reduction in the -operating. leverage ratio to actually apply the brakes when a-predetermihed value of the operative force necessary to apply the brakes is reached.

It is; therefore, animportant object of this invention to provide animproved brake lever construction having operating leverage ratios-which.

automatically change fromone ratio 'to a higher ratio when the force necessary to move the actuating lever reaches a predetermined value.

Another object of the presentinventionis:to

provide a brake lever construction having variable operating leverageratios-which is-simp1e in construction, durable, and-efiicient in'use.

A further object ofthe present invention is to:

providea two-part hinged brake lever construc tion capable-ofbeing actuatedas-a unitary lever through a portion-t the-total movement of the lever construction necessary in actuating or releasing the brakes, with one of the lever parts being capable of moving alone through the balance-of the total-movement.

A- still further object of this invention is to provide a two-part hinged brake lever construction'capable-of being partially actuated as a unitary leverand-whichis-held in adjusted position by acooperating pawl and ratchet, with one of the lever parts being capable ofmovement relative=to-the-other lever partand which isheld in its adjusted position by a toggle linkagemechanism,

Another and stillfurther object of this invention is the-provision-of a brake lever construction having a swinging lever connected to-a support by apreloaded'toggle linkage, the swinging lever and-toggle linkage being arranged toallow the lever to-swing in either direction when the toggle linkage is in any but one position,

Still another object of this invention is the provision of a two-part hinged brake lever construction being operatively connected by atoggle linkage normally rendering the lever partsv free for relative movement within predetermined limits, one of thelever parts being held in adjusted position at one of itsswinging limits when thetoggle linkage is in an angular position in-reverse of its positionwhen the lever part was at its other swinging limit.

Another object of this invention is the pro-vision of a brake lever construction having pivoted lever parts-capable of beingoperatedasaunitarylever or for relative movement between the lever parts in one direction with means for separately holding the lever partsin adjusted position, andalso having novel release means for releasing-the lever parts from adjusted positionto render them movable in the opposite direction;

The novel features believed to be characteristic of thepresentinvention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention.- itself, however, both asto its organization: and manner of construction, together'with further objects and advantages thereof, maybest be-understood by reference to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a view in side elevationof a brak lever construction embodying theprinciples of this-invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged'fragmental-view similar to Fi'gure'l, with portions broken away and-parts shown invertical cross section, illustrating the position of parts at the end of the-unitarylever movement and with the release mechanism holding the-pawl out of engagement with its cooperating sector; 7

Figure 3 isa iragmental view similar toFigure 2 illustrating; in dotted lines, the relative position of parts at the end of the unitary lever movement and, in full lines, the relative position of parts when the. lower brake lever member has been moved to afully actuated braking position;

Figure 4 is a longitudinal fragmentary edge: view, partially in elevation and partially in angular section, taken substantially in theplane indicatedby the line IVIV ofiFigure 1;

Figure 5 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view,, with parts in elevation, taken substantially in the planes'indicated by the general longitudinal line V--V of Figure 3;

Figure 6 is an enlarged transverse cross-sectional View, with parts in elevation, taken substantially in the plane indicated by the line VIVI ofFigure l;

Figure-7 is an-enlargedfragmentary plan-view as seen looking in the direction of the arrows along the line VII-VII of Figure 1 and Figure 8 isan enlarged fragmentarysendview;

with parts in vertical section, taken substantially in the plane indicated by the line VIII-VIII of Figur 1.

In the general embodiment of the present invention as illustrated in the drawings, there is disclosed a brake lever construction III of the dash type, that is, a lever which is pivoted behind the instrument board of an automotive vehicle having a grip portion projecting below and beyond the instrument board.

Generally speaking, the brake lever construction I includes a mounting plate or bracket H, an upper brake lever member I2 which is pivotally connected to the bracket II, and a lower lever member I3 having pivotal connection to an intermediate portion of the upper lever member I2.

As best shown in Figure l, the mounting plate or bracket II is fashioned of flat metal stamped to proper size and form and is provided with apertures or bolt holes I4 whereby it is secured in place behind a vehicle instrument board (not shown).

The upper brake lever member I2 consists of a pair of flat metal plates or legs I5 and I6 which straddle the supporting bracket II and hang in pivotal depending relation therefrom by a pivot pin I1. The legs I5 and I6 are provided with laterally extending portions I8 and I9 which terminate in inwardly extending abutments 20 and 2 I as shown in Figures 1 and 4.

The lower brake lever member I3 is generally T-shaped in side elevation, having spaced parallel legs 22 and 23 forming one of its T-legs and a tubular handle 24 extending angularly from the spaced legs to form the other T-leg. At their lower ends, the legs 22 and 23 of the lower lever member I3 are joined by an end wall 25 which is provided with a centrally located aperture 26 for a purpose to be more fully explained hereinafter. The other ends of the legs 22 and 23 straddle the upper lever member I2 and are pivotally connected thereto by a pivot pin or rivet 21.

An L-shaped pawl 28 is supported by the pivot 21 between the spaced legs of the upper lever member. One of its legs 29 is provided with an upwardly extending tooth portion 30 adapted for engagement with a tooth 3I on the sector formed on the arcuate edge 32 of the bracket II, which edge is described by a radius struck from the center of the pivot II. The other angularly extending leg or tail piece 33 extends downwardly and is provided with a laterally extending edge portion 34 for a purpose to be explained more fully hereinafter.

Below the pivot 21 connecting the upper and lower brake lever members, there is provided in the legs I5 and I6 of the upper brake lever member I2 a pair of arcuate slots 35 and 36 whose edges are described by radii struck from the center of the pivot 21. The legs 22 and 23 of the lower lever member I3 are suitably apertured in registry with the arcuate slots 35 and 36 to receive therethrough a rivet 31.

A clevis 36 straddles the lower lever member I3 and is carried by the pivot 37 (Figures 1, 4, 5 and 6) to connect the brake lever construction III to the braking mechanism of the vehicle (not shown).

A fiat metal spring 39 is formed V-shaped in side elevation with one of its ends seated in a slot 49 provided on the lower edge of the pawl leg 29, and its other end partially bent around the pivot 31 in such a manner as to movably receive the pivot therethrough.

It is to be noted that the spring 39 normally urges the pawl 29 into engagement with a sector tooth 3| irrespective of the position of the pivot 31 within the arcuate slots 35 and 36.

A triangularly shaped link 4| is pivoted at one end to the lower ends of the legs I5 and I6 of the upper lever member I2 by means of a pivot 42.

A load member 43, consisting of a rod 44 and an end clevis 45, is also pivoted to the link M. The clevis end 45 is pivotally connected to the other end of the link M by means of a pivot 46, such as a fiat headed rivet as illustrated in Figure 5. The rod 44 extends downwardly through the aperture 26 provided in the end wall 25 at the lower end of the lever member I3. A com- 'pression spring 41 embraces the rod 44 and engages at one end with the shoulder of the :clevis 45 and its other end engages against the end wall 25. Compression of the coil spring 41 serves to normally urge the link member H in a position as shown in Figure 1.

At the apex of the link 4I, there is provided a stationary pin 46 which extends laterally from the side surfaces of the link (Figure 5). Longitudinally extending slots 49 and 59 are provided in the legs 22 and 23 of the lower lever member I3 to slidingly receive the ends of the pin 48 (Figures 1, 2 and 5).

A release lever 5|, of fiat metal of the same thickness as the pawl 28 and the link 4|, is pivoted to land between the legs I5 and I6 of the upper lever member by means of a flat headed rivet 52, as best shown in Figures 2 and 5. The upper end 53 of the release lever is positioned to make edge engagement with the lateral extension 34 of the pawl when the release lever is rocked about its pivot 52. When so rocked, the pawl 28 is swung out of engagement with a ratchet tooth 3I by overcoming compression of the pawl spring 39. The lower end 54 of the release lever extends downward-1y below the link 4I when the parts are positioned as shown in Figures 1 and 2.

At the end of the tubular portion 24 of the lever member I3, there is provided a curved handle 55 of U-shape in cross section for a major portion of its length. The handle terminates in a tubular portion 56 which embraces the end of the tubular leg of the lower lever member I3 and is fixedly connected thereto by means of a rivet 51. The curved U-shaped portion of the handle 55 receives in nested relation therewith a similarly shaped end 58 of a clutch release member 59.

A clutch or pawl release member 59 has a tubular portion 60 arranged for endwise movement Within the tubular leg 24 of the lower lever member I3. A pair of opposed axially extending slots 6| and 62 are provided in the tubular portion 66 for receiving therethrough the rivet 51 for limiting the endwise movement of the clutch release member 59 (Figures 2 and '7).

Similar slots 63 (Figure 2) are provided in the tubular portion 66 of the clutch release member adjacent its free end to receive therethrough a small pin 64 which extends through the tube 24 of the lower lever member, the slots and pins coacting to serve as a guide for the free end of the clutch release member 59 and also to provide an abutment for an end of a coil spring 65. The opposite end of the coil spring 65 abuts against a pin 66 which extends through the side walls of the: tubular. portion; 60 .oithe' clutch. release: member; Compression of: the. spring; 65 normally. serves :tourge the clutch release member 9 iin a. projected operative position; As. illustratedin Figure 2, the spring. 65. has. been compressedby actuation of. the. handle portion 58.-

At itsinner free endfil, the tubularportionLG'lJ of the clutch release member: 59 is provided withi a1slot68. (Figures 2 and 8') into whi'ch' exten'ds the lower end 5'4Lof the release lever 51 clutch. release member 59serves to rock the release lever about'its'pivot and in turn rock the pawl.2'8 out of engagement with its cooperating.

sector.

Theope'ration of the device will nowbe explained. The brake lever construction illustrated in Figurelis in a fully brake released position,

theupper lever member I2 being held at one limit 7 of its swinging movement by abutment between the tooth3il of thepawl and a'stop portion 69- provided: on the a'rcuateedge of the-supporting bracket ll'. It isto be noted that the limit of swinging movement for the lever I 21 in the oppositezdirectionis provided for bya stop 'lfl' formed by transversely bending the corner ofthe supportingbracketll. With the parts in-thisposi tion; the load member 43 is positioned atathe-extreme leftand'compressionof the coil'spring l! servesto maintain the upper and lower'brake lever members in a-locked unitary arrangement. By grasping the handle 55., which is disposed crosswise of the vehicle in order to conserve'leg room, and pulling the unitary leverto the right or in a brake actuating direction the brakes are actuated through movement of the clevis 38; which connects the. brake linkage mechanism to the lower lever member l3. In this" movement, the unitary lever isswung about the upper or supporting bracket pivot IT and the pawl 28 ratchets over the teeth 3 I.

When brake tension as exerted through theclevis 38 is suchthat the pull on the handle 55-is' greater than compression of the spring 41, the latter compresses to allow for relative movement of the lower lever member whilethe upper lever member is being held in adjusted position by cooperation between the pawl 28 and a sector tooth 3|.

As the lower lever member 13 swings on its pivot 21, the pivot 31 slidesfrom one end of the from one end to the other of the arcuate slots 35 and 35. During this movement, the triangular linkll-l reverses itself about the pivot 48 which moves longitudinally inthe slots 49 and 50 until the pivots lz and 48' are onor near dead center alignment. Compression of the spring 41 serves to hold the pivots in this alignment thereby restraining the lower lever member l3 from movement to the left or in a brake releasing direction.

It is to be notedthat the upper and'lower lever members move as a'unitary lever from their position as shown inFigure 1 to a position'as shown in dotted lines of Figure 3. This-initial move- A s-best shown. in Figure 2,. endwise movement of: thement serves'the purposerof' takinglup all slack in the-brakelinkage;mechanism while the unitary lever isbeing operated at a low reduction of operative efiort to. braketension. It has been 1 found thatthis leverage ratio can be as low as 2 to 1, but, it is to be understood that this leverage'ratio may be increased or decreased depending upon the operative lever lengths desired.

In the secondary movement, illustrated in Figure 3 between the position of parts shown in dotted lines and the position of parts shown in full lines, when thelower lever member l3 swings about its pivot pin 21, a much higher reduction of operative efiortto brake tension is automatically efiected which was found to be 6 to 1, and, which can. also be varied as desired.

To release the'lever mechanism for movement to the leftxorv in a brake releasing direction, the operator squeezes his grip to urge the curved handle 58 into the handle and pushes forwardly thereon. When the parts assume the relationship as shown in dotted lines in Figure 3, or at the endiof the relative movement of the lower lever member I3, the upper end 53 of the release lever 5| which is'rocked about its pivot engages the tail-piece 33 of the pawl to rock the pawl out of its engagementlwith a sector tooth 3|. Continued movement to the left by a pushing action then serves to rock the unitary lever about its pivot H to a fully brake released position, as shown in Figure 1. It is to be understood, of course, that when the parts assume the position asshown in dotted lines of Figure 3, the link and loadmember again cooperate to hold the upper and lower lever members in locked position for movement as a unitary lever in a brake releasing direction.

It will be seen from the foregoing description that the present invention contemplates a brake lever construction of pivoted lever members, both capable of'being partially actuated-as a unitary lever having a low leverage ratio and being further partially actuated by one of the lever membersswinging alone at an increased leverage ratio. The automatic change-over from the low leveragei'ratio to-the' high leverage ratio takes place as" soon as theoperative force necessary to" actuate; the lever mechanism. reaches the compression of the: coil spring which normally serves to hold the twolevermembers in aunit'ary locked position; By properly'increasing or decreasing the compression value of the coil spring, the-automatic change between leverage ratios, canbe effected-at any point desired in the movement of the brakelever members from a tfaully releasedposition to a fully actuated. posiion:

While a particular embodiment only of this inventionhas been illus-trated, it will, of course, be understood that the invention should not be limited thereto,- since many modifications may be made and; therefore, it is contemplated by the appended claims to cover all such modifications as fall within-the'true spirit and scope of the'present invention;

I claim as my invention:

1-. A brake" lever construction comprising pivoted lever members,- means operatively connecting' said lever members for unitary movement when anactuating force required to move them is less than a: predetermined value, said means including means movable for disconnecting said: unitary arrangement whereby one-of said lever members is movable relatively to the otherof saidlever members in the'same direction as said relative movement has reached its limit,

2. A brake lever construction comprising a support, an upper lever member pivoted to said support, cooperating clutching members adapted for holding said upper lever member in adjusted position, a lower lever member pivoted to said upper lever member, and connecting means for holding said lever members together for unitary movement when in oneangular position relative to and on one side of the longitudinal axis of said lower lever member, said means when in a reverse angular position relative to and on the other side of the longitudinal axis of said lower lever member holding said lower lever member in adjusted position.

3. A brake lever construction comprising a support, an upper lever member pivoted to said support, cooperating clutching members adapted for holding said upper lever member in adjusted position, a lower lever member pivoted tosaid upper lever member, a link operatively connecting said lever members, and resilient means associated with said link and arranged to normally hold said lever members together for unitary movement when the actuating force required to move them i less than a predetermined value, said resilient means permitting said lower lever member to move relatively to said upper lever member when said actuating force is greater than the predetermined value, said link and resilient means cooperating to hold said lower lever member in adjusted position only at the limit of said relative movement.

4. A brake lever construction comprising a support having a sector on an edge thereof, a lever pivotally mounted on said support, a pawl carried by said lever and arranged to engage with said sector to hold said lever in an adjusted position, a second lever pivotally mounted on said first lever coaxially with said pawl and arranged for connection to a brake setting member, said second lever being arranged for manualactuation, a compression coil spring arranged to normally hold said levers in fixed angular position with respect to each other when in one angular position, said coil spring being rendered ineffective to hold said levers in relatively fixed angular position when the brake applying force exceeds a predetermined value whereby the fulcrum point of said second lever is shifted from the pivotal mounting of the first lever on said support to the pivotal mounting of said second lever on said first lever to change the leverage ratio, said compression spring arranged to hold said second lever in adjusted position at the end of said relative movement, and release means carried by said second lever for rocking said pawl out of engagement with said sector.

5. A brake lever construction comprising a support having an edge formed as a ratchet, an upper lever member pivoted to said support, a pawl carried by said upper lever member and arranged to engage with said natchet for holding said lever member in adjusted position, a lower lever member pivoted to said upper lever member, and a link having one end pivotally connected to said upper lever, said link having its other end and intermediate portion between said ends operatively connected to said lower lever, said link when in one angular position relative to said lever members arranged to hold said lever members for unitary movement and when in a reverse angular position thereto being arranged to hold said lower lever member in adjusted position,

said lower lever member being arranged for free movement relative to said upper lever member when said link is in any angular position between said holding positions.

6. A brake lever construction comprising a support having an edge formed as a ratchet, an upper lever pivoted to said support, a pawl carried by said upper lever and arranged to engage with said ratchet for holding said lever in adjusted position, a lower lever pivoted to said upper lever, a link having one end pivotally connected to said upper lever, a compression load member operatively connecting the other end of said link and lower lever, said link being connected to said lower lever to permit rotational movement and limited longitudinal movement therebetween, said load member arranged to hold said levers together for unitary movement when the actuating force required to move them is less than the compression of said load member, said Toad member being further arranged to permit said lower lever to move relatively to said upper lever when said actuating force is greater than the compression of said load member, said link and load member cooperating to hold said lower lever in adjusted position only when at either limit of movement relative to said upper lever, and means for releasing said levers from adjusted holding positions.

7. A brake lever construction comprising a support having an edge formed as a ratchet, an upper lever pivoted to said support, a pawl carried by said upper lever and arranged to normally engage said ratchet for holding said lever in adjusted position, means for normally maintaining said pawl and ratchet in engagement, a lower lever of T-shape having an end of one of its legs pivoted to said upper lever and an end of its other leg shaped as a handle, means limiting the relative movement between said levers, a link pivotally connected at one end to said upper lever, a load member having a pivotal connection to the other end of said link and a guide portion operatively connected to said lower lever, said link being further operatively connected to said lower lever to permit limited rotational and longitudinal movements therebetween, a compression spring carried by said load member and interposed between an end thereof and a portion of said lower lever, said spring holding said levers together for unitary movement when a pulling force applied to the handle and required to move them is less than the compression of said spring, said spring permitting said lower lever to move relatively to said upper lever when said pulling force is greater than the compression of said spring, said link, spring and load member cooperating to hold said lower lever in adjusted position only when said lower lever is at either limit of relative movement to said upper lever, and release means operative at said handle and operatively engaging said pawl to release said levers from adjusted holding position when a pushing force is applied to said handle.

8. A resilient operative connection for pivoted levers comprising a triangularly shaped link, a load member being pivotally connected to one apex of said link, another apex of said link being arranged for pivotal connection to one of the pivoted levers, and a compression spring interposed between said load member and another of the pivoted levers, the third apex of said link being arranged for operative connection to the last mentioned lever to permit limited rotational and longitudinal movements therebetween, said compression spring being adapted to hold the levers together for unitary movement when an actuating force required to move them is less than a predetermined value and permitting relative movement therebetween when the actuating force is greater than said predetermined value.

9. A brake lever construction for actuating brakes comprising pivoted lever members, means for operatively connecting said lever members and being movable between predetermined limits, said means when at one movable limit connecting said lever members for unitary movement in one direction to partially actuate the brakes, clutch means cooperating with one of said lever members to hold both members at any adjusted position during said unitary movement, said connecting means when moved from said one limit disconnecting said unitary arrangement whereby the other of said lever members is movable alone in the same direction as the unitary movement and when said one lever member is held stationary to fully actuate the brakes, said connecting means when moved to the other of said limits cooperating with both lever members for holding said other lever member in its adjusted position.

10. A brake lever construction comprising a support, an actuated lever, a pivot mounting said lever on said support, an actuating lever, a pivot mounting said actuating lever on said actuated lever, a compression coil spring normally positioned on one side of the longitudinal axis of one of said levers to hold both levers in fixed angular position with respect to each other, means for holding said actuated lever in an adjusted position with respect to said support, said coil spring being rendered ineifective to hold said levers in relatively fixed angular position when the actuating force exceeds the compression of said spring whereby said spring is rocked to a position on the other side of said lever axis and the fulcrum point of said actuating lever is shifted from said first pivot to said second pivot to change the leverage ratio.

11. An operative connection for pivoted levers comprising a link, a fulcrum on said link operatively connecting a portion of said link and one of said levers and being displaceable along an axis of said one lever, a pivot adjacent said fulcrum connecting said link and the other of said levers, and a load member adjacent said fulcrum on the side opposite said pivot for operatively connecting another portion of said link to said one lever, said load member being rocked between predetermined limits around said fulcrum from one side thereof to the opposite side thereof when one of said levers is moved relative to the other, said load member coacting with said link to hold said levers locked together when at either of said limits, with one of said levers being movable relative to the other when said load member is in any position between said limits.

12. An operative connection for pivoted levers comprising a link, a pivot connecting said link to one of said levers, an additional pivot connecting said link to the other of said levers, a load member operatively connecting said link to one of said levers, said load member and one of said pivots being rocked about the other of said pivots between definite limits when one of said levers is moved relative to the other of said levers, and'said load member coacting with said link to hold said levers locked together when at either of said limits.

13. A brake lever construction comprising levers, one of said levers being pivoted to a support to swing, cooperating clutching members for holding said one lever in an adjusted position, the other of said levers being pivoted to said one lever, means for locking said levers together for unitary movement, said means being movable for unlocking said levers whereby said other lever is movable relative to said one lever, an endwise movable release member in spaced relation from said clutching members, a release lever operatively connecting said release member and one of said clutching members when said levers are locked together for unitary movement, and said release lever rocking said one clutching member out of cooperation with the other of said clutching members only when said levers are locked together for unitary movement and said release member is moved in one endwise direction.

14. A lever construction comprising levers, one of said levers being pivoted to a support to swing and the other of said levers being pivoted to said one lever for actuating the latter, and pressure exerting means operatively connecting said levers together and being normally positioned to exert pressure on one side of the longitudinal axis of one of the levers to fixedly hold them together, said means being rendered inefiective to hold the levers together when the actuating force applied to said other lever exceeds the pressure of said means whereby said means is moved to a position to exert pressure on the other side of said longitudinal axis.

15. A brake lever construction comprising a plurality of lever members, one of said lever members being pivoted to a support and another of said lever members being pivoted to said one lever member, cooperating clutching members for holding said one lever member in an adjusted position to which it is swung, and pressure exerting means operatively connecting said lever members together and being movable between limits from one side of the axis of one of the lever members to the other side thereof, said means when at a limit of movement on either side of said axis fixedly holding the lever members together and when in any position between said limits of movement rendering said other lever free for movement relative to said one lever.

16. A brake lever construction comprising lever members, one of said lever members being pivoted to a support to swing, means for limiting the swinging movement of said one lever member, the other of said lever members being pivoted to said one lever member to swing relative thereto, and means operatively connecting said lever members together and normally exerting pressure on one side of the longitudinal axis of one of the lever members for fixedly holding them together for unitary movement, said means. being rendered ineffective to permit said other lever to swing relative to said one lever when force to swing said other lever is greater than the pressure exerted by said means whereby said means is moved to a position to exert pressure on the other side of said longitudinal axis.

HERBERT S. JANDUS. 

